Second-stage business success stories

Riding a Boom in the App Market

[Photo: Sean Deren] "These types of services are in high demand across the country." - Jody Haneke, owner

A frenzy of activity in the mobile phone/device app market has created a sweet spot for entrepreneurs like Jody Haneke, who runs a design and development company focused on desktop, mobile and tablet devices. Business is booming, says Haneke, who cites "exponential growth" over the past two years. Though he declined to share revenue figures, Haneke, 38, says 2010 was the company's best year to date and that 2011 will be more than 25% better.

Haneke, a 1995 graduate of the Ringling School of Art & Design in Sarasota, launched his company in 2002 primarily as an interactive agency focused on website design and development. Several years later, he began specializing in work geared toward mobile phones. "We started, pre-iPhone, doing mobile websites." Later, when the iPhone came out and Apple announced it was offering a software developer kit, Haneke dove in headfirst. He ramped up the development side and hired staffers versed in mobile application development. His clients include AT&T and the New York Stock Exchange.

While much of the company's work is aimed at consumer mobile marketing, he's also worked with pharmaceutical companies to create an iPad app that works as a marketing tool for employees working remotely. "These types of services are in high demand across the country," says Haneke, who has relationships with advertising companies nationwide. "When those are your main sales channels, you don't go against the local competition too much. It's a nice situation."

With Forrester Research projecting a $38-billion app market by 2015, Haneke looks forward to continued growth in the mobile app niche. "There is still a lot of work to be done with a lot of companies to tap into that mobile channel. I see us staying busy for the next few years doing just that," he says.

Tags: Florida Small Business